Western Europe

Western Europe is the region encompassing the western part of Europe, namely the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Andorra, and Portugal. Western Europe is united both by general membership in NATO as well as a common past, with the region coming under the Roman Empire's rule in the early Common Era before barbarian tribes conquered the countries and established their own kingdoms; the region was generally on the same side during the Cold War, opposing the Warsaw Pact of Eastern Europe.